Hinge for an air-bag cover

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an airbag cover hinge having a textile hinge that can be connected both to the airbag cover and to a carrier part surrounding the airbag cover, wherein the hinge comprises two different systems absorbing forces, which is to say one textile surface structure as a system that is combined to a second system with further warp threads, wherein the warp threads tear under a tensile load on the airbag cover hinge as a first force absorbing system.

The invention relates to a hinge for an air-bag cover having a textile hinge, by means of which an air-bag cover can be connected to a surrounding support frame.

During air-bag deployment the air-bag cover opens in order to let the air bag out and the air-bag cover hinge serves to guide the air-bag cover during deployment.

An air-bag cover hinge made of textile or knitted fabric is known from WO 2003/033313 “Interior lining part for motor vehicles” [US 20044/0227333]. Depending on the size of the air-bag cover used, various forces are applied to the hinge of the air-bag cover during air-bag deployment. The larger the air-bag cover, or the heavier the air-bag cover, the higher are the forces applied to the hinge, and it is critical that the air-bag cover open easily during air-bag deployment and it is critical that a separation of the air-bag cover from the support frame surrounding the same is always excluded in order to not put any persons in the area of the air-bag at risk from airborne parts. It is impossible to rule out that the hinge of an air-bag cover known from prior art made from textile or knitted fabric will tear under unfavorable conditions.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a hinge for an air-bag cover such that it will safely prevent a tearing or separating of the hinge for the air-bag cover, that can be manufactured cost-effectively, and that simultaneously enables easy deployment of the air-bag cover.

The object of the invention is attained by means of the teaching of the characterizing part of the main claim.

In other words, the invention provides a hinge for an air-bag cover having at least two force-absorbing systems, a two-dimensional textile structure and second warp threads as a force-absorbing system that increases the strength of the structure and that when the hinge is loaded to a certain limit tears when the air-bag cover opens.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained in the dependent claims.

In one advantageous embodiment the warp threads are aligned parallel to the expected tension in the hinge of the air-bag cover.

For this purpose the warp threads may have a lower elasticity than the elements of the two-dimensional textile structure.

In an advantageous embodiment the warp threads are distributed evenly across the surface of the two-dimensional textile structure in order to enable a uniformly distributed high absorption of forces of the forces occurring during the deployment of the air-bag cover in the area of the hinge.

The warp threads may also be provided exclusively in the edge regions of the air-bag cover hinge in order to avoid a tearing of the two-dimensional textile structure in case of air-bag deployment, or at least to reduce this to a minimum.

In an advantageous embodiment the two-dimensional textile structure is embodied as a knitted fabric in order to enable cost-effective production and to enable a good absorption of forces for the forces applied to the hinge during deployment of the air-bag cover via the knitted fabric after the warp threads have torn.

For example, in the knitted fabric one warp thread may be provided in each stitch of the knitted fabric, or it is also possible to arrange one or multiple stitches without any warp threads next to a stitch of the knitted fabric that has a warp thread.

In an advantageous embodiment the two-dimensional textile structure may be part of a laminated construction together with the warp threads, e.g. a further layer may be laminated onto the two-dimensional textile structure in order to enable, for example, better handling of the two-dimensional textile structure.

Therefore, at least two force-absorbing systems are is provided in the air-bag cover hinge, one force-absorbing system being the two-dimensional textile structure, which may be a knitted fabric, for example, and the other force-absorbing system being the warp threads present in the two-dimensional textile structure.

As soon as a deployment of the air-bag cover occurs during air-bag deployment, forces are applied to the air-bag cover hinge that first tear the warp threads, thus taking in or absorbing part of the forces applied. Subsequently, an elastic stretching of the knitted fabric occurs as the secondary force-absorbing system, bringing about a final absorption of the forces applied to the hinge, and the two-step action of two force-absorbing systems safely prevents the air-bag cover from being torn off during deployment. Furthermore, an adjustment can be made as to how far the air-bag cover deploys by means of the quantity and quality of the warp threads used in order to prevent damage, for example, to the windshield of a motor vehicle due to the air-bag cover deploying rapidly. In fact the deployment range and also the deployment speed may be adjusted by the use of a correspondingly large number of warp filaments, or by means of a particular tear resistance thereof such that the air-bag cover deploys in a manner that is sufficiently wide, however, an overturning of the deployed air-bag cover, for example, against the windshield, is excluded. 

1. An air-bag cover hinge having a textile hinge that can be connected both to the air-bag cover and to a support frame surrounding the air-bag cover wherein the hinge comprises two different force-absorbing systems, namely a two-dimensional textile structure as a secondary system that is combined with a primary force-absorbing system of additional warp threads that tear when the air-bag cover hinge is subjected to a predetermined tension.
 2. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 1 wherein the warp threads are aligned generally parallel to the expected tension in the hinge.
 3. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 1 wherein the warp threads having a lower elasticity than the elements of the two-dimensional textile structure or of the two-dimensional textile structure itself.
 4. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 1 wherein the warp threads are evenly distributed throughout the two-dimensional textile structure.
 5. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 1 wherein the warp threads are provided exclusively in edge regions of the air-bag cover hinge.
 6. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 1 wherein a knitted fabric is the two-dimensional textile structure.
 7. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 6 wherein a warp thread is provided in each stitch of the knitted fabric.
 8. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 6 wherein the structure has a succession of a stitch of the knitted fabric having a warp thread and one or more stitches having no warp threads.
 9. The air-bag cover hinge according to claim 1 wherein the two-dimensional textile structure is part of a laminate. 